Recording Academy invites 900 new members in move to improve diversity

The Recording Academy extended 900 membership invitations in an effort to become more diverse. (Don Emmert / AFP/Getty Images)

The Grammys are changing their tune.

The governing body of the Grammy Awards has invited 900 new members to the table in an effort to bring in new and diverse voices.

Advertisement

The Recording Academy, which is responsible for Grammy voting, sent invites to members of the music industry who are either female, non-white, under 40 years old, or fit into several of those categories, according to Billboard.

The academy’s outreach came from suggestions submitted by a task force on diversity & inclusion, which was created by the organization earlier this year.

"Our invite initiative is a first step to reach out to the diverse, talented individuals who make up the music community," the Task Force’s chair, Tina Tchen, said in a statement. "The Recording Academy should reflect the scope and scale of the music industry and recognize the creative and artistic endeavors that enable it to thrive. Having a truly diverse membership is the foundation for any change. This initiative is one of the many ways the Task Force is encouraging change in practices while nurturing a more inclusive organization for Academy members today and for generations to come."

If they accept their invitations by Nov. 15, new members will be eligible to vote for next year’s Grammys.

The lack of female representation in the music industry was highlighted in January when only one female artist — Alessia Cara — won a major award at the Grammys.

Neil Portnow, president of the academy, got some backlash when he told reporters after the show that it was up to women “step up” in the industry. He later apologized and introduced the task force.

Portnow will be stepping down from his position next year.

In January, the University of California’s Annenburg School put out a study stating women comprised only 9.3% of all Grammy nominees between 2013-18. The Recording Academy later refuted the findings, saying the USC study only included five categories, and that they found 17% of nominees over that stretch were women.